The free kiln carving pattern for July is ready! As you may know, I live in the lovely state of Utah. We’ve had a very hot, dry, spring, and much of my state has been on fire for the past week or so. Continue reading July Kiln Carving Pattern

June’s free kiln carving pattern is a twisty ivy leaf. This pattern is probably a bit more difficult than beginner level. It has huge potential for green glass sun catchers, or dishes with ivy around the edge and on the bottom. This pattern was inspired by the mass of ivy that I really need to remove from the wall in my garden. It’s gorgeous, but kind of a pain. Continue reading June Kiln Carving Pattern

It all started out innocently enough; we were trying to figure out a way to modify the Self Portrait Paperweight project for the Hawthorne ELP Artist Residency. Originally I had planned to have the kids make a clay positive face, then pour a plaster/silica mix mold for each one before doing a pot-melt with recycled bottle glass.

The hassle factor was high, as were the potential material costs. Then it dawned on me, what if the kids made a reverse portrait with clay, I put it at the bottom of a standard size mold, and the glass melts down in. Reusable molds (in this case, extra deep terra cotta saucers, of which I own exactly 3, but which are cheap and readily available). Problem solved!

Except no one makes the saucers anymore. When I bought mine they were everywhere! I discovered this after submitting my final proposal. Nowhere in town, nowhere on the web. I’m sure I could have found them eventually, but not in the quantity that I needed (30).

So, to further complicate the process, I decided to make the saucers. It’s only 30 or so, I have a ceramics kiln and how hard could it be. Turns out, not very hard, I made some nice octagonal saucers that fit on my kiln shelf nicely.

The first class to make the portraits is the 6th grade. They have a great time, understand the concept and do good work. Back to the studio go the faces.

But there is a problem, what is going to become known as the infamous gap.

In just two weeks I will be starting a project that I’ve never done before. I have been offered the Artist in Residency at Hawthorne Elementary in Salt Lake City. The school has 250 kids, grades K-6. I usually teach just one class of kids at a time, so expanding to include 7 classes of varying age and ability of kids has been very exciting.

The theme of the residency is Using Glass Art to tell the Story of YOU. Each of the four projects that we will be doing will tell some part of what is unique about each persons life. Three of the projects will be recycled glass, one will be fused art glass.